Development of a Smartphone-controlled Robotic Arm for Automated Cotton Harvesting

Background: In recent years, agricultural automation has experienced rapid growth. Among these innovations, robotic arms have emerged as key instruments in reducing the need for manual labor in cotton harvesting. The increasing demand for efficient and sustainable solutions in agriculture has prompted the development of systems that enhance productivity while minimizing human intervention. Methods: This study elaborates on the design and development of a smartphone-controlled robotic arm for selective cotton picking. The arm features six degrees of freedom (DOF) and is actuated by servo motors. A microcontroller integrated with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app facilitates precise arm control. The system architecture emphasizes cost-effectiveness, ease of use and portability. Result: Experimental evaluation demonstrated that the robotic arm achieved a harvesting accuracy of approximately 70%. Despite its success, areas such as automation reliability, gripper precision and obstacle detection require further development. The proposed system shows promise for sustainable cotton harvesting with reduced labor costs and improved operational efficiency.